Gr 8 Up—Practicing Light magicians need excess magic drained from their blood to avoid being poisoned by it; Dark magicians need it to boost their own abilities. But despite this symbiotic relationship, Light magicians oppress their Dark counterparts, restricting them to a section of town and imposing brutal public punishments for any transgressions. Lucie Manette was born in the Dark city to Light magicians who worked secretly to heal people without access to other treatment. After her mother's death, Lucie's father was harshly punished for his work; her public protests earned him a pardon and her celebrity status. She and her father were allowed to move to the Light city, where she starts dating Ethan Stryker, son of a member of the Light Council. When Ethan is mistaken for a resistance fighter, Lucie learns that he has a doppelganger—a soulless mirror self that is created when extraordinary measures are taken to save someone from death. And when the doppelganger, Carwyn, gets loose in the Light city, Lucie's life is turned upside down. Intricate world-building, effective characterization, and an oppressed class fomenting revolution make this creative adaptation of Charles Dickens's
A Tale of Two Cities a natural fit for "Hunger Games" fans.
VERDICT A sound purchase for all YA collections.
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